Toby Marks is a composer, recording artist, performer, producer and record label owner. A child of 1980s acid house, Toby has recorded and performed worldwide as Banco de Gaia, fusing house, dub, prog rock, jazz and world music, in his singular brew of eclectic global dance and chill-out music.
Toby is also exploring electroacoustic composition and ambient electronic music, and is particularly interested in immersive sonic environments and the meeting point of deliberate and random composition.
Toby’s ambient works draw on soundscape recordings blended with simple beautiful musical motifs. In performance he incorporates video imagery, often generated live by Patrick Dunn, to create an engrossing and uplifting experience. Toby’s 2019 album and performances with Andrew Heath, Motion, are beautiful examples of this approach.
Toby’s recent commission from Exeter University was to create the piece of music Ages Of Gaia, (and for Patrick Dunn to create a video), inspired by the three day environmental conference which celebrates the 100th birthday of James Lovelock, creator of the Gaia Hypothesis.
Toby’s work as Banco de Gaia has consistently redefined world electronica, with his music leaving an indelible footprint on the global scene, sparking dancefloors and inspiring other musicians. Toby has blended acoustic and electronic sounds, integrating themes and techniques from cultures and traditions the world over, working with musicians and producers as ingenious and diverse as Pink Floyd’s Dick Parry, Natacha Atlas, Tim Wheater, and Hawkwind. His classic single Last Train To Lhasa exemplifies this approach.
Ranging from cinematic ambience to pounding dancefloor-fillers, Toby’s background in jazz and rock combine with his love of dance and world music to produce a glorious, uplifting and mesmerising sound.
Toby has his own monthly radio show, A Few Of My Favourite Things, which is broadcast on Glastonbury FM and is available on Mixcloud.
Toby’s music has been used in several films and commercials, including Darren Aronofsky‘s debut film Pi, a Miller Lite beer ad, and in 2019 in Adam Woods‘ short film Lost And Found – Mark.
banco.co.uk • Disco Gecko • Bandcamp: Banco de Gaia
Thanks to Pete Lawrence for the photo of Toby
kaleidoscope mm&p 